Opinion

“This is not the time to save – it’s the time to spend. We’ve got to spend to help our economy.” This was a quote from city councilwoman Sara Eddins. These words were spoken in context to the 2 percent raise and the $20,752 to cover the 12.7 percent increase in health insurance coverage for city employees.

We are here to mark four years since Continental Tire ceased manufacturing operations and sent hundreds of area jobs to Brazil and Mexico.

We believe that in July of 2006 when Continental Tire suspended production in Charlotte that there were determining factors that entitled Continental’s Charlotte employees certain benefits coinciding with the production suspension.

We believe those benefits should have been provided just like benefits were provided to Continentals employees at their Mayfield Kentucky plant in 2005 under similar circumstances.

No, everything isn’t coming up roses as far as the United States’ and local economy is concerned. The economy is still just puttering along, and signs still point to a slow recovery from the Great Recession.

The U.S. jobless rate hovers close to 10 percent, and here in Lancaster County, it’s about 15 percent. Unfortunately, we ranked among the top 10 counties for unemployment in South Carolina.

History was made when South Carolinians chose their two major candidates for governor this month. Nikki Haley is the first woman from the Palmetto State to win a major political party’s nomination for governor.

She clinched the Republican gubernatorial nomination in convincing fashion. She nearly locked up the nomination in the GOP primary on June 8, falling just shy of the 50 percent plus one vote needed to capture the nomination. She then easily defeated U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett of Westminster in the June 22 runoff.

A recent donation by First Citizens bank is another example of local businesses and individuals’ commitment to our university.

First Citizens pledged $100,000 toward building a new classroom building on the University of South Carolina at Lancaster campus.

The campaign to raise the $6.8 million needed to build the classroom building began last year. It may seem like an ambitious campaign given the state of our economy, but almost $3 million has been raised already.

I am writing in reference to an article about the initial steps of the health-care overhaul now under way. The article only tells part of the whole story of health care and what is kicking in the United States.

It is certainly virtuous that the new health-care bill does provide coverage for about 1 million uninsured Americans by next year.

I believe that subscribers to The Lancaster News look in each issue for the coverage on the major events that happen around the county. I, for one, was disappointed that there was no coverage of the TEA Party of July 3 until July 9, or until the third paper after the event.

After the wait, the coverage consisted of two faded black and white photos that failed to provide any coverage of the meeting. The people of Lancaster County need to be informed that the TEA Party is not a political event.

I want to thank everyone who stopped to help me when I was hit in the rear turning in my driveway on Grace Avenue on July 7.

The driver didn’t stop. She just kept going. It was a black car and has front-end damage from the wreck. Two men got the tag number and gave the number to the Fort Lawn Police Department. We still need that tag number. I was so addled I didn’t get the names of the men who got the tag number. If you have information about the tag number or have seen a car fitting this description, please call and share that information.

My first thoughts after reading the aviation corridor public hearing notice and glancing at the map overlay was that it won’t impact me because I don’t do much flying. But then reading that it’s a rezoning effort by the county raised at least one eyebrow.

I am writing this response to Robert Ostram’s letter, “Don’t bother saving old jail.” Ostram wrote, “The editorial mentioned Robert Mills, the architect who designed the jail. I have never heard of him. Now, if he was Frank Lloyd Wright, that would be different.”

Please allow me to enlighten Mr. Ostram. Robert Mills (Aug. 12, 1781 – March 3, 1855) is sometimes called the first native born American to become a professional architect. Charles Bulfinch perhaps has a clearer claim to this honor.

This letter is in response to the gentleman who has the opinion that the historic Lancaster County jail is not worth saving. He seemed to take great pride in knowing about the great architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, but admitted not knowing anything about another great architect, Robert Mills, who was born almost 100 years before Wright.

South Carolinians have a right to know the answer to this question from the candidates in the 5th Congressional District: “If elected in November, whom will you support as the next speaker of the House?”

Considering the divisiveness and partisan struggles currently running through Congress, it’s crucial to know where congressional candidates stand on this important issue.

When Jed Clampett was shooting at some food and some crude came gushing out of the ground instead, he achieved by accident what almost all Americans dream of – instant wealth.

Often Jed, the patriarch of the 1960s show “The Beverly Hillbillies,” showed the sophisticated city slickers that he was the one with true wisdom – a wisdom that comes from living, not from a fancy college degree or from reading The Wall Street Journal every day or working in a high-rise office building.

I am writing to express my appreciation of Brenda Parker, the children’s librarian at the Lancaster Library.

My grandchildren started coming to the library for Teddy Bear Time in 2005 when they were 3 and almost 2 years old. They were introduced to music, stories and educational games. They sang and heard stories using puppets.

They experienced Rhyme Time and were introduced to picking up and putting away using song as a way of encouragement.

Everybody has an opinion and I am expressing mine which no doubt will leave me wide open to the regulars who load up the The Lancaster News’ Web page comments. One detractor suggested I return to my “Remember when” days and leave the governing to adults.

The year 1959 is best remembered in Lancaster as the year the University of South Carolina at Lancaster was founded. That same year, however, Wylie Park was created by the Richards-Wylie family as part of the development of Forest Hills in the city of Lancaster.

House Democrats announced they will not submit a budget for 2011. Congressman John Spratt is the lead person with responsibility for the House budget. Budgeting is a fundamental responsibility of governing and without budgeting there is no way to get the national debt under control.

Without a budget, there is a spending spree in Washington. Americans are demanding fiscal responsibility and this is the answer from the Democratic leaders in Washington?